5 to Try: Crushable Summer Wines

“When we hit our first above-80-degree day, all I can think about are beverages that are light in alcohol and zippy in nature,” says Paula de Pano, owner of Rocks + Acid in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. An advanced sommelier and alum of spots like New York City’s Eleven Madison Park, de Pano opened her wine shop in late 2022 and highlights terroir-driven wines, with a particular affinity for low alcohol and high acid. “Who wants to crush a 16 percent bottle of wine when the sun’s blazing?” she says. “Summer wines for me are acid-driven, almost mimicking the thirst-quenching characteristics of an ice-cold lemonade.”

Rezabal Txakoli Rosé

“This rosado Txakoli is from the Basque region of Spain where sun-kissed and sea breeze–sprayed Hondarrabi Beltza grapes grow; but this isn’t your usual fruity and floral rosé,” says de Pano. “It’s more savory and saltier on the palate with crunchy and tart cranberries, red tomato skins, and orange bell pepper all cloaked with a veil of salinity. I joke that drinking a bottle of this wine contributes to my daily vegetable consumption! And clocking in at 10.5 percent? I don’t feel so bad crushing an entire bottle while vacuuming my floors.” $18, princetoncorkscrew.com

The Electric Chardonnay Acid Test

“On the cooler, northern end of the Pfalz, in Germany, the Brand brothers have been growing Chardonnay on limestone-rich soils and turning out unique bottlings like this one,” says de Pano. “It’s unlike any other Chardonnay you’ve had—a far cry from the buttery, oaky ones, or even the steely, austere ones. The addition of 10 percent Riesling gives it a zap of freshness, and the mouth-puckering wine tastes as if you made candies out of a lambic beer. Drink it while enjoying a heaping bowl of chirashizushi.” $16.99, nyc.flatiron-wines.com

Controvento, “Doccia Freda”

“Enzo di Meo’s wines from Abruzzo are the bottles thatI recommend when I have a beer drinker branching out in the shop—the wines have a distinct, earthy tanginess that reminds me of lambic and fruited beers,” says de Pano. “Doccia Freda (cold shower) is equal parts Trebbiano and Passerina, a rare Italian grape, and sees about five days of skin contact. It’s the kind of wine that you bring along for an al fresco lunch on the weekends—perfect with egg sandwiches and grilled chicken.” $24.99, missionliquor.com

Elian da Ros, “Histoires de Boire”

“No one can really dislike Merlot after they’ve tried this wine. Elian da Ros’ estate is in the Côtes du Marmandais, south of Bordeaux—a region in the shadow of its well-known neighbor, yet that doesn’t stop Elian from producing wines with so much character,” says de Pano. “Histoires de Boire is a redwine that has a place inside anyone’s summer cooler, but make room because it’s only bottled in magnums. Fresh and fruity, like cherry pomegranate juice, a chilled bottle is ideal for a pool party where pizza, hot dogs, and burgers are present.” $67.99/1.5-liter, chambersstwines.com

Gaston Collard, Dosage Zéro 

“I have never found any situation where Champagne wasn’t a beverage of choice—if only my budget would allow it. But for those special days needing a celebratory bottle, this extra brut Champagne should be on the list,” says de Pano. “With notes of citrus pith, pear skins, and celery salt, the Dosage Zéro cuvée from Gaston Collard, based in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy, is precise and crystalline in its purity of flavor. Made from 90 percent Pinot Noir and 10 percent Chardonnay, it’s an aperitif kind of sparkler with enough texture to transition from bruschetta to crudo during one of those fancier summer evenings.” $79.99, yianniswine.com